Herald & Journal, November 24, 1997

New school ahead for HLWW?

Comments on the resolution to appoint a task
force to study the need for a new school facility flew at a furious
pace last Monday at the Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted (HLWW) School
Board meeting.

A fast paced discussion folowed the recommendation
by Superintendent Riley Hoheisel and the buildings and grounds
committee to appoint a task force to study the need for a new
facility for Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted (HLWW) Schools.

Charles Weber, board member, wanted to know
if a cap should be put on remodeling until more is known about
the needs of the district.

Board Member Ken Zimmerman stated, "If
you don't remodel, you will have an old building and then have
to build another one before long."

Another board member, Michael Steckelberg,
said, "We need to find out what a new facility would look
like."

Hoheisel said, "This is the key reason
to appoint a task force to coordinate a plan how do we use the
existing facilities to complement a new facility."

There should be a lot of input from the community
and business community, said Steckelberg.

Board Member Carol Fury said, "We are
taking it a little bit too fast. Do we need to look at other options?"

Jim Raymond, school board chairman, said, "We
(buildings and grounds committee) have looked at a lot of options
as far as adding on to the other buildings, but the high school
is going to run out of space.

"We have to prove to the public we need
one (high school). We are starting early. There is no rush."

"Yes," said Steckelberg, "we
need to make sure there are plans for the existing facilities.
The task force will ultimately decide."

Raymond said a resolution to form the task
force was in order so the board could be polled and have its votes
recorded.

"This is a major undertaking for this
district," he said.

The board unanimously passed the resolution
to form a task force to study the issue of new construction, and
the configuration/use of the present facilities in the community.

Administrative report

In the summary to the school board regarding
the long rang plan for the HLWW School District, Hoheisel gave
some background for the public.

For the past 18 months, the buildings and grounds
committee has moved through the process of evaluating future facility
needs of the school district.

Bob Abendroth, architect, was retained to develop
an overview of the present facilities and a long range plan.

Completed in November, 1996, the study showed
the maximum building occupancy as 1006 students, with a projection
that the district would reach that capacity in a few years.

Based on Abendroth's recommendation to hire
a professional demographer, the board contracted with Robert Wuornos,
Northwest Associated Consultants, Inc. for a demographic study
of the district.

The study was complete on July 17 and showed
over 900 students already being educated at the three school sites.

The projection of the demographer showed the
buildings reaching capacity in the year 2000. A more conservative
figure would have them filled in 2003.

In light of the Minnesota graduation standards
and the potential growth in student numbers, administration felt
it was apparent that the next several years will be challenging
as a more flexible education environment is developed.

Delivery of the graduation standards modules,
incorporation of technology and regional educational resources,
and potentially a reorganization of the very structure of a school
all need to be considered.

All sources pointed to the same conclusion,
the district will be faced with a shortage of space in the near
future said the report.

Also stressed was the need to continue to remodel
the present facilities and upgrade technology, in addition to
regular maintenance.

Handicapped accessibility will be required
on any new construction. Even though there have been significant
improvements in the old buildings, there are still limitations.

All spaces are being used in all facilities
said the report. Teachers do not all have access to their resources
for planning and are forced to use the teachers' lounge.

There are no spaces for departmental planning,
and there is no flexibility for the district, as current education
needs change.

Some departments have been moved to less than
adequate spaces.

Administration stated in the report that there
is a need to separate the 9 to 12 grades from the younger students,
because these students are observing and modeling behaviors of
older students.

It is felt they do not have the psychological
or emotional capacity to behave like those older students.

According to the report, students in grades
six to eight need a separate environment in which the staff can
provide a structure and model in which these students can grow,
develop, and mature.

This environment would be accepting and amenable
to their unique changing physical, emotional, and psychological
needs.

Graduation standards require spaces of varying
sizes and spaces which allow for flexibility, as students work
in various size groups and teams.

Pertinent to the way learning will take place
will be the media and technology centers that will provide the
resources necessary to facilitate that learning.

Hoheisel stressed that it will not be acceptable
to limit student learning because of a lack of technology or resources.

He said the appropriate technologies must be
in place, including interactive television, computer links and
networks, adequate internet connections, and the ability to communicate
and transmit data between classrooms, buildings, region, state,
nation, and worldwide.

Another area to be addressed is that of unique
learners, which includes the special needs students and gifted
students.

These will probably require an adequate number
of varied sized spaces to accommodate their needs.

Business partnerships will be required by the
school-to-work model which requires the school district to have
partnerships with technical colleges, business, and industry.

Business and industry may even serve as teachers
of various units and packages of specific graduation standards
for some students according to the report.

A family service center may be located in the
school, but even if it is off-campus, the school must still provide
offices for Early Childhood Family Education, preschool, and the
county co-located social worker.

Community Education provides a full array of
community course opportunities, and appropriate space must be
provided.

Many schools are now providing spaces where
senior citizens can meet on a regular basis, said Hoheisel.

With all these needs to be addressed, the administration
felt it was time to start the investigative process.

Administration suggested the task force be
comprised of the school board chairperson, one or two board members,
superintendent, two principals, one or two teachers, three or
four community members and one or two parents. The total would
not exceed 15 members.